Records held by Falkland Palace show that King Malcolm awarded a large estate to the Earl of Fife in 1160 when he married the king’s niece, whose name was Cash or Cashel. A 15th century map sited the estate between Falkland and Strathmiglo. The clan Cash originated from Malcolm’s sister, Ada, and streets in Strathmiglo and Falkiand still carry the name Cash, as do Easter Cash, Wester Cash and Cash Farms. The American Cash connection came about in 1612 when mariner Wiffiam Cash sailed from Scotland to Salem, Massachusetts, with a boatload of pilgrims. He later decided to settle in America. The Cash name has also been linked to the
clan MacKintosh.

Rosanne first visited Falkland with her record producer husband John Leventhal in March 1998 to see for herself her family roots. She told The Courier then that her interest was sparked by her father who, in the 1970s, began delving into the subject after a chance encounter on a transatlantic flight with thelate Major Michael Crichon-Stewart Ninian’s father. Johnny isited Fife several times in the 1990s to try and plug gaps in his family tree. On her recently-updated official website, which is accessible to millions of internet users across the globe,
Rosanne has revealed that she felt compelled to return to Fife following the death of her father, aged 71, in September. Rosanne said of her trip, “We went straight to the tiny town of Strathmiglo, in Fife, and searched for all theCash names. We saw Cash Wester street, and Cash Easter, and Wester Cash farm, and Cash Feus, and all kinds of Cash references. It was really thrilling. The area is spectacularly beautiful, like a dream of rolling green hills, riddled with mist and towers and stone. If geography can be in your cells, and in your deepest memory, then it came out of the realms of the unconscious and fully alive for me and Carrie that day.”

The country singer explained how they droveon to Falkland. The whole village was practically closed that day, but Warbeck’s restaurant was open on the square and there they had lunch. When they came out they
noticed the Violin Shop. They peered in the window, and saw many violins and antiques, but what caught Rosanne’s eye was an old teapot that reminded her of an old family heirloom back in the US. The shop was locked, but the owner, Bob Beveridge, was traced and he opened it for them. She said, “I picked up the teapot right away and told him I’d like to buy it, and he put it aside while we wandered around, looking at his old books, violins, china and toys.

“Our American accents were unmistakable, obviously, so he said, by way of conversation, ‘So, are you here looking up your ancestry?’ “I told him that this was the very area my ancestors were from, all the way back
to the 12th century. “He said, ‘Oh! and what is your surname?’ I said, Cash. He smiled, ‘Like Johnny Cash?

Because he was Scottish, too, you know.’ I told him that he was my father. “The gentleman, Bob Beveridge, looked at me with wide eyes. He told me that he had met my father, when he was there filming a television special (in the 1980s). He told me that he had spent the day with him, and he began telling me stories about my dad and the townspeople, and the affect he had on those who came into contact with him.